SO I’m off to live in Spain. Just thought I’d slip that into the conversation. I’ve been thinking for some time that I need a new challenge – a big challenge. And although I won’t be embarking on a really, really, really big challenge, such as walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, my wife and I will very soon be heading for the Sierra Nevada, where I intend to climb mountains and explore new landscapes while she socialises with her many friends and enjoys retirement . . .

This blog is no stranger to the gritty peaks of Spain’s highest mountains. I’ve walked in the Sierra Nevada and neighbouring Sierra Tejeda y Almijara many times over the years, so this is not so much a venture into the unknown as a natural progression. That’s not to say that selling your house and moving abroad at the drop of a sombrero is not a scary prospect. It is.

I will miss the Lakeland peaks, the Pennine hills with their biting winds and open views, and the majestic Highlands. I’ll even miss those dismal days when the mist is down to the treetops and the midges are swarming. I’m equally sure I will be back from time to time, to grasp the opportunity to scale familiar peaks with a renewed fervour.

This blog, Because They’re There, will publish its offerings as normal, so I hope you will continue to visit these pages and leave your witty and informative comments. There will obviously be a Spanish flavour to many of the forthcoming posts, but the Days Like This series will continue once my slide collection has been delivered by mule to my new mountain residence (wherever that may be).

I have also set up a new blog, Awkward Roads, which is a sort of snap-shot diary of a middle-aged man and his wife and cats driving off into the sunset in a VW campervan to a place just south of Granada. It’s a sort of pilgrim’s progress only without the knowledge of sin.

Talking about pilgrims, I rather fancy the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, actually – following in the footsteps of the righteous and Martin Sheen and all that. I’d like to have a crack at it one day. I might have to sin a bit first, mind.

So that’s the immediate plan. We set off to Spain later this week. This blog will be quiet for a few days, but Awkward Roads will be running as and when I can hook up to the internet.

Don’t desert me, because we’ve had a good time over the years and I value your input and friendship. Take a look at Awkward Roads. There’s only one short post up there at the moment, but there will be more to follow shortly.

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About McFadzean

Alen McFadzean, journalist, formerly of the Northern Echo, in Darlington, and the North-West Evening Mail, Barrow. Former shipyard electrician. Former quarryman and tunneller. Climbs mountains and runs long distances to make life harder. Gravitates to the left in politics just to make life harder still. Now lives in Orgiva, Spain.

70 Responses to A Big Adventure

After everything’s that happened I don’t blame you for getting out of this country, in spite of its rain and midges. In fact, had I known in advance you were going I would have stowed away in one of your freezer bags.

I’ll look forward to you finding old Spanish mine workings, Spanish railway carriages and the occasional tin of Frayos Bentosas. And when you’re at the summits of the Sierre Nevadas, look north west, hear the gnashing of teeth and take pity on the wretches such as us who failed to escape this Sceptred Isle.

Chris

ps Aren’t the Sierre Nevadas in America. You sure you’re going the right way?

Hi Chris. Thanks for cheering me up and relieving some of the stress of moving house. If I can find a shop that sells Frayos Bentosas then I really will have struck it rich. And I note, from a quick search on the internet, that Sierra Nevada Beer is produced in California, so you might be right. I’m going the wrong way.
All the best, Alen

Alen, good luck, safe journey and arrival, all the other pleasantries appropriate at a time like this. Here’s me thinking I was being a bit edgy moving from Blogger to WordPress. I don’t know; you young people!

On top of all the other reasons to envy you, they have the best bloody football over there. You’re both right about the Sierras Nevadas, by the way: there’s one in the USA, near to Yosemite, and you’ll have your very own on your doorstep in Spain.

Hi Dave. Thanks for calling me a young person. You get the prize for best comment of the day.
Yes, football, fine wine, good food and refreshing beer. I’ve taken all this into account. Priorities and all that.
Cheers, Alen

Best wishes Alen. Looking forward to reading your new blog. It was reading these pages that made me want to visit the Sierra Nevada, which will be happening this September. Look out for a cyclist grinding agonisingly slowly uphill with his tongue clattering in the spokes of his front wheel. Buy him a beer; he’s sure to get you one back.

Hey JonJo. If you pass a bearded chap, as equally knackered, on a red Youngs’ roadbike, that will be me.
Hope you have a great time. You must let me know where you’re heading for and I’ll buy you that beer.
All the best, Alen

Congratulations on the big decision, Alen. Now you can see if you can find English wagons on steep hillsides in the Spanish countryside. It wouldn’t surprise me 🙂 …and copper mining operation smacks of course also a bit of fish
I hope the cats have agree on the new hunting grounds or you may have your new flag swaying in the wind in strips. I don’t think the locals will agree on that development.
Seriously I wish you the very best with your new adventure.
I’m looking forward to the new post!!!
Hanna

Hiya Hanna. It’s good to hear from you. Yes, there are plenty of things to do once we get there – plenty of hills to climb, mines to poke about in, and I dare say railway wagons to find in strange places.
I’m still in the very stressful phase at the moment, but once we get under way on the long drive south (planned for Thursday) I’m hoping things will get more relaxing. Keep in touch.
All the best, Alen

Alen, truly wonderful. Spain is my favourite country in the world (more or less), and you’ve just achieved one of my great ambitions. I look forward to reading more about your adventures – although I saw they’re forecasting 43 degrees in the south this week so maybe not too much climbing just yet! Best of luck, Paul

Hi Paul. Spain is a beautiful country, and the great thing is my wife and I are familiar only with the mountains of Andalucia – and Madrid and Barcelona. So there is so much more to explore.
Mind you, 43 degrees is a bit on the hot side. Last time we were there I was wilting at 33.
Cheers, Alen

Make the most of it, Alen, and get stuck in to those fancy Spanish mountains. I’m trying to rise above the instinctive reaction of ‘You Lucky Sod!’ but seriously, I hope you both have the times of your lives.

Fantastic! Good luck. I am sure you will cope admirably – I don’t know you personally (my loss) but you appear to be made of stern stuff. And of course I will continue to follow you and look forward to your posts. And of course I am following your new blog too!

Well done you for taking the plunge. I’m really starting to believe that, apart from the hills and scenery, Britain has nothing to offer any more but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to make the move I’ll certainly be taking a look at your new blog and I’m sure I’ll be following it to see what it’s really like to move abroad. Good luck!
Carol.

Hi Carol. Thanks for that. I must admit that Anne is the driving force behind this adventure, so I’m not really all that brave. My first choice of a new place to live was the Highlands, but that got vetoed circa 2006. Spain is very like the Highlands, only without the rain and midges, so I suppose it will be good enough.
All the best, Alen

I haven’t had any hassle face to face but I’m on a Scottish-based walking forum and there’s a definite attitude against us English on there. I think there’s been more of it since the failed independence bid.

Well done,the pair of you! I’m just sorry that it’s thinning the ranks over here, but that’s selfish of me. I must find you some locations where the Furness iron ore men went prospecting, but my
knowledge of Spanish geography is scanty,and it looks like a biggish place on my school atlas.
May your endeavours be crowned with success!
Jonathan W.

Hi Jonathan. Thanks very much for that. Sorry we’ll miss your party this year. If our solicitors had strung things out another three weeks we’d have made it.
We visited Alquife a few years ago but saw only a small part of it. It’s only a couple of hours’ drive away so a return will be in order. If you can flag up any other places, that would be great.
All the best, Alen

Hey, Alen – so it’s all happening! Well done! I wish you and Anne every happiness, and I hope that your little pusscats will settle down happily too. What huge potential you will have for walking and exploring! I do like the concept of using an upcoming pilgrimage as an excuse to up your sinning levels – that makes me wonder if they used to try to fit it all in before a trip, in medieval times that is. Hoping that the sun shines on you, literally and metaphorically, and I’m looking forward to following your new blog! 🙂

Hi Jo, I like the idea of upping the sinning levels before a pilgrimage. I’m sure it went on in the old days, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t happen now. I shall plan ahead for that one.
Thanks, and all the best, Alen

Found this post on a general catch up of the blogs that I follow (been pretty abysmal at reading and posting since we moved house earlier in the year). Wow and good for you.
If you look at my blog you will see we have a strong resonance with Spain and all things Spanish. We have done bits of walking in the Picos, Pyrenees and Andalucia but haven’t climbed any of the heights. Even lower level walking is gratifying and gets you to some quite areas. The Sierra Nevada are quite something and as you say, the autumn weather will be great. Enjoy!!
However, our favourite area is the Picos de Europa and the Cordillera de Cantabria. The Valle de Liebana (main town Potes) is like a second home to us, right on the border of Cantabria and Asturias. Mountains inland and stunning coast to the north. This proximity of mountains and beaches is what we have been looking for as we have searched for a change in life ……. so we moved to the north east of England …… the Cheviots, coast and castles. Very much like Spain, just a bit cooler!!
Enjoy your new life and I look forward to reading some more of the Spanish tales.
Buen suerte!
John

Hi John. Thanks for that, I have just signed up to your blog and will take a good look at it.
We visited the Picos de Europa several years ago, but I didn’t get chance to do any serious walking because the weather was not good. The other areas you mention (excluding the Pyrenees) are new to me – so I will pay particular interest to those. I’m always looking for new areas to explore.
The Cheviots is a fine area. A little damper underfoot than Andalucia, I expect.
All the best, Alen

BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE is about climbing mountains – nothing else. Well, actually, there are one or two other things. But it's mostly about climbing mountains. And fish and chips. And politics. And doing a bit of fell running. And wondering where the hell your life's gone – and where it might be going next. And cooking kippers in a wet tent. And people you bump into who do similar things. Actually, that last one doesn't happen very often . . .

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